The Newcomer
by buildingasnowman
Summary: The warriors have just finished the battle and all seemed at peace. Until, A strange new cat appears weak and hungry. Jayfeather starts to become suspicious of the newcomer and tries to discover what this strange cat is hiding.
1. Chapter 1

PREFACE

"Jayfeather wake up, I have some news", a beautiful tortoiseshell prods the blind cat on its side.

"What is it now? I was just dreaming of catching a mouse", Jayfeather got up and stretched and shakes the sleepiness from his eyes. _It can not be bad news, we just won the battle from the dark forest. _He sighs and starts to wonder if Starclan is also telling this news to Bramblestar that could not wait in the morning. He started to become sleeper after the battle. Some cats say it is from the grief of Firestar and Hollyleaf. However, this might be a part of this, he knew it was because Lionflame and Cinderheart are having kits. Lionflame kept asking pointless questions.

"There is newcomer and you must welcome her. She will change everything you once knew and thought." The she-cat mewed.

"Wh-what? Spottedleaf, everything was just not starting to become as peaceful as it can be. Granted, Windclan and Riverclan are fighting, but this will cause a dispute between all the clans." Jayfeather meows angrily.

"A cat with orange fur will come and bring peace and a new perspective. The she-cat will be a way to the past as much as the future. Trust me, she will be a great warrior." With that Spottedleaf disappears. _I hate it when they do that, it is getting on my nerves. What does she mean that the newcomer will be away to the past and the future? _

* * *

Chapter 1

She had to run. There was no other choice. She couldn't stay, not anymore. Maybe she did not know how to hunt in the wild, how hard could it be? She can learn somehow. She must to survive. Never trust, this she would remember. Never trust another.

Weeks pass and she could not get any prey. _It is the coldtime after all, _she thought. She grew more weak with every day that pass. As she was walking she started to grow more fatigue. After a few foxlengths she started to stumble. _This might be easier if I had another cat with me, _and with that thought she blacked out.

She woke up with a cat who had a tortoiseshell pelt. "Wh-who are you", she tried to get up.

"Rest for now." The strange cat responded.

"Who are you?", she replied but sounded still very weak.

"Rest. My name is Spottedleaf. I am a medicine cat of the Thunderclan"

"Medicine cat? Thunderclan?", she says confused. She yelps as a surge of pain crosses her stomach. She knew how it felt to be this hungry, but for some odd reason the pain was duller. She looks at Spottedleaf and notices her pelt twinkled like stars. "Am I- going mad?"

"No, you are doing well. Well enough for you to travel. Follow the path that you are the only who can see it."

"Will you come with me?", the she-cat asked with big dark green eyes.

"I'm sorry but I have to visit somecat else". Just like that she vanished.

The orange tabby got up in a hurry. "Wait, what do you mean? I do not understand! You gave me vague instructions!", she cried loudly. _You will understand later. _Said the voice in her head, which quit frankly, sounded a lot like Spottedleaf._ Follow the path.  
_

_The voice does sound convincing, but __I vowed never to trust. Then again what is there to lose? My life. _She kept fighting with herself until out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flame. _Whats that? _She moves closer towards and only mouselengths away it moves farther away. _That is strange. I need to follow this. _

* * *

Bramblestar was relaxing near Squirrelflight, sharing tongues. He was happy that they were done fighting. She was right, it was not her secret to tell and he was too stubborn to listen. Though he will never admit it.

"What are you staring at?", Squirrelflight asked.

"Oh nothing".

"Mousebrain".

"Who are you calling mousebrain?"

She purrs, "You mousebrain".

He sees Jayfeather with a grumpy face trotting towards him. He says he has to see whats wrong to Squirrelflight and meets Jayfeather half way. _Please, let it be th__at the apprentices did not check the elders ticks. _

"We need to talk. Lets hunt".

Bramblestar sighs but follows reluctantly. They walk over to the entrance, telling Graystripe where they were going. Bramblestar added at least one cat to guard the entrance during the evening. He was still worried about an attack. Suddenly a cat behind them called Bramblestar. He turns around and sees Ivypool.

"You need to come back to camp, it is important.", she mews with concern in her voice and worry in her eyes.

Before Jayfeather could protest they rushed towards the camp. He started to wonder what is going on. _Please starclan, do not let it be an attack. Windclan has been a little mysterious lately. _

As he approaches, there layed an bright orange cat on the ground. At first, he thinks it Firestar. _Oh starclan no! _He rins to the cat to see it was a loner. _  
_

"Please", she says in a raspy voice. "Help me".

"Who are yo and why did you come to Thunderclan?"

"Spottedleaf sent me". Then she just passes out.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey! I am so excited some of you liked my first chapter. It means a lot to me. So this chapter might clear up any confusion, hopefully. I just love writing and Warrior cats is my favorite book so I am having so much fun writing for all of you. Thank you for reading my story and as always, happy readings!

* * *

The orange tabby awakens to see a gray cat messing with leafs to her right. She starts to get scared and confused. _Where am I? How did I get here?_ All the sudden, the memories of the two days ago rush in and she starts to calm down. She became uncomfortable and twisted around, silently hiss as she hit her paw on the ground. She did not want to disturb this cat.

"Good, you are awake", the gray cat meows in a irritated voice.

"You heard that?", she replies in astonishment.

The cat turns around and she sees that his eyes were blurry pale blue. _He is blind. That is why he heard me hissing! I wonder what made him blind an why is he irritated. _

"I am sorry. I did not mean to interrupted you with your.. uh leafs. Why are you irritated?", she asked innocently.

"Well, you certainly feel better", he mewed without answering her question.

"I guess so, I do not feel weak anymore. Wait are you a.. uh... what is it called", she trails off trying to remember what Spottedleaf called her. She thinks until she sees the herbs and straitens up excitedly. "Are you a medicine cat?"

The gray cat opens his mouth as he is interrupted by some cat Meowing loudly "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join beneath me for a clan meeting!" He pokes her saying her to follow him. She does so obediently.

As she walks out, it seems as if every cat was staring at her. She guessed it was because she might be the one strange. She started to feel self conscious about herself.

"As we all know a sunrise ago a cat came to our camp, who says our ancestor medicine cat Spottedleaf had brought her here. Jayfeather, you are our medicine cat, did Starclan visited you i your dreams about this?", a handsome tabby asked.

"Yes Bramblestar, Spottedleaf herself visited me two days ago." Jayfeather says. She did not catch all of it, but he muttered under his breath about he tried to tell something to somebody. She started to become confused. _What is Starclan? Why can I not find Spottedleaf?_

"Will you come forward", Bramblestar says.

She looked around to see what cat he was talking to, but soon realized he was talking to her. She heard cats her age snickering. Her stomach started have butterflies and her legs became weak. _They all hate me! I knew I should not have trusted that cat! _

"What is our name?", Bramblestar asked her.

She look down at her paws feeling more nervous than she did. Every cat was staring at her curiously. She hardly makes out, "I do not have a name."

Some cats gasped but most started to gossip. She just kept looking at her paws. She made a mistake coming here, this she knew. She wanted to run, but she did not know if she was strong enough.

"Okay then, how did you find us?'

"Spottedleaf told me to follow a path. I later found a fire and I went towards it, but before I got too close it would move. I followed it, not even bothering to eat, and it led me here. I do not know why but Spottedleaf said I should trust her.. and I did."

She looked around trying to find Jayfeather even though they are not necessarily friends, she found encouragement. He was grumpy, but for some reason she saw past that. She saw that he was kind and strong deep inside. She saw a hint of sadness too. A sudden surge crossed her mind, like he was in there in her memories. She tries to push him out and it takes a few moments before she succeeds.

"I need to talk to my senior warriors." Bramblestar jumps down and enters what seemed to be a nest with moss.

She starts to shift her paws. She was left not knowing any cat here, but suddenly a pale gray cat walks up to her.

"Hello, my name is Foxleap".

She looks up to see in his yellow eyes. It felt as though lightning struck her. She tried to tell him 'hello' and 'nice to meet you' but all she could say was "Uh... hi?"

"You seem really nice and do not let the apprentices bother you. They are just jealous they are not getting attention right now."

"Oh okay".

"If you get to stay, we should talk."

Before she could accept the kind offer Bramblestar announced the meeting is resumed.

"Jayfeather told me to allow the cat to stay".

Cats started to complain, saying something about a battle and peace. She looked over to Foxleap and he looked like he was happy. _Why is he though? He would never like a cat like me. Wait! What am I saying? I can not fall for another cat. It would only leave to heartache._

Bramblestar cleared his throat. "Further more, her mentor will bee Bumblestripe. From this day forward until you earn your warrior name will be Firepaw. In resemblance of your path you took to come here."

The meeting awkwardly closed and she wondered what made the other cats so angry.

"The other cats are bit angry because that was our previous leader's name", Jayfeather said as if reading her mind.

"What happen to him?", she asked.

"He died in battle." He says glumly.

"He was close to you, wasn't he?"

Jayfeather sighs and opens his mouth then closes it.

"I'm sorry. I did not meant to make you upset", Firepaw says sincerely.

"Welcome to Thunderclan, you should find Bumblestripe so you can do more than just ask mousebrain questions". He turns and leaves her, making her more confused as before.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello there!Thank you for reading and hopefully enjoying. All of you guys are amazing! I try to update a new chapter as soon as I can. If you have anything to say feel free to PM me or leave a review. I love reading your reviews, i literally look forward to it. You guys are the best and happy readings!

* * *

Foxleap never seen such a beautiful cat before he met Firepaw. Her eyes resemblance the forest's leafs, and her white paws reminded him of his kit days in the snow. He tried to talk to her for the past two days but it was like he was stuck in the mud and did not have a way out. He just stood there until he panic and ran away like the brave warrior he was.

"Are you okay Foxleap?", Dovewing asked.

He jumped almost high enough to reach the top of a tree. "Dovewing, you scared me half to death."

"Oops, sorry."

"What do mean am I okay?"

"You seem distant lately. Like you are distracted by something."

"We better report that we found nothing on our border patrol", ignoring her comment. He felt embarrass that he kept wondering how a conversation between him and Firepaw would go, but too scared to actually make the conversation happen. He barely talk to her the day she got her name and it took all his courage to that! How was he going to have a full conversation without going mad?

They enter camp and he spots Firepaw immediately. She was just putting a rabbit in the fresh kill pile. _Go talk to her_. A small voice says in his head. _I do not know what to say. I can not go and talk to her, __I will look __mousebrain. _

He tried turning around, but she caught him staring. She graciously walks over towards him. He froze, as if all his limbs went numb.

"Hello Foxleap", she says with a smooth voice.

"Hi, how is your training going?"

"Oh, I am learning so much. I love living here in Thunderclan."

His face lightens up and he starts to relax. He did not have to bring that up and her saying she hated it here. "Really?"

"Yes, even though there is some cats that are mean, I just love it because I am spending my time worthwhile. I feel important you know?"

"Yes, I do. Every cat here is important. Especially you", he said. As soon as he said that, he regretted it. He probably scared her off. _This is not how I imagine this. Starclan, please do not let this scare her off._

She looks down at her paws then looks at him with her big, green eyes that makes him shiver. "You think so?"

He looks deep in her eyes and says, "Of coarse. From what I know, Starclan thinks you are important enough to send a dream to our medicine cat".

* * *

Firepaw could not drift to sleep. All that training made her restless, as if she needed to train more. She finally gave up and went into the clearing. She took a deep breath. _I never breathed such clean air before. _

_From what I know, Starclan thinks you are important enough to send a dream to our medicine cat. _Foxleap words echo in her mind. Starclan thought she was special. So did Foxleap. She shakes her head to clear her thoughts. She needed to stop thinking about that _cat._She could not love him. Love is a hurtful thing, that is why she ran away in the first place.

"Could not sleep?", a dark voice asked behind her.

"Are you spying on me Foxleap?"

"What? No! I am hurt for you to even suggest that."

She giggles. "Oh, I am sorry. I did not meant to hurt your little feelings", she says jokingly.

"Good that you apologize, or would not have asked to go on a walk with you. I would have gone back to my den and fall asleep with still hurt feelings."

She froze right there. Her eyes grew wide and she started to tremble. she loked st him with the utmost intensity she ever felt. She fell but Foxleap caught her. She shook her head and gained back her strength.

"Firepaw are y-you okay? I am sorry. I do not mean to freak you out. I was only kidding. I am so sorry."

She looked back into his beautiful yellow eyes. "So, what about that walk you were meowing about?"

The two ran out of the clearing. They had a fun night. Talking and joking with one another. _This does not have to be love_. She thought, _This means we are friends._

* * *

Jayfeather saw the whole thing. _What was that?__ I never seen a cat do that before._

He went and checked on Briarlight. She was curled up and her tail over her eyes. He leans in and checks her breathing. She started to cough a couple of days ago and he wanted to be sure she was not getting white cough. She had to be careful to not get sick since she is weak as it is. She was breathing clearly.

Jayfeather went to his nest and curled up, trying to fall asleep.

_She is hiding something. _He thought, _and I tend to find out. I do not know why I can not read her thoughts clearly, but I will find away to discover whatever secret she is hiding._ With that thought, he fell asleep soundly.


	4. Chapter 4

I am sorry about the last chapter. My computer kept derping up and it was getting late, so my apologies. I promise this one is going to be way better. I love writing and fthis is fun for me. I hope this is fun for you! I do not know how many people like this story, or if I am a good writer even. I do not know if this a good story or if I should continue. I just know I am having fun! As always, happy readings!

* * *

Jayfeather was surrounded by the forest. The trees and the grass beautifully green, there was yellow and blue flowers everywhere. A couple of foxlengths away flowed a little creek with small minnows, happily swimming upstream. Jayfeather saw out of the corner of his eye, was Bramblestar standing there in awe.

_It is not like he has never been here before. _Starclan was a beautiful place to visit, but Bramblestar looked like it was his first time to see it. _I wonder why we are here. Firepaw seems to doing well. Maybe they are here to give advice about the gathering tomorrow. _He looks a Bramblestar and sees he is probably thinking the same thing. _Most be important enough to have us both here._

Bramblestar walks over to where Jayfeather is with confusion on his face. Jayfeather saw just a hint of worry. Jayfeather did not realize, but he too was getting worried.

"Do you know why we are here or what is going on?", Bramblestar asked.

"If I did, I would already told you", Jayfeather responds in a gruff voice.

"It seems like you are leading Thunderclan well ", a voice said behind them.

"Firestar, I have not seen you since I gotten my nine lives!", Bramblestar says excitedly.

"This is true, there is something I need to tell you both."

Jayfeather perks up. "What is it?"

"There is trouble yet to come."

"What do you mean Firestar?", Bramblestar asked.

"Fire might have saved the clans, but now it will destroy it. Unless you do something before the gathering, war will break out."

Jayfeather clenches his teeth. _Spottedleaf said to trust Firepaw, now Firestar is saying she is going to destroy us. _

"Well, what can we do?"

"Change fire into something greater.", he says with tranquility.

_Change Firepaw's name! That is what he is talking about!_

"Her path is bright, if you let it to be.", Firestar says narrowing his eyes at Jayfeather.

* * *

Bramblestar stirs from sleeping. He shifts; trying to comprehend his dream, but he accidentally hits Squirrelflight head. She spent the night in his den, lets just say they had fun.

"Ow, what was that for?", she said.

"I am sorry", he says.

"You okay? You look upset."

"I a fine, I just have to do something. I do not like it but if it saves the clans", he trails off remembering what Firestar had said.

"What do you mean, save the clans?"

"Firestar told me I have to change Firepaw's name".

"Why do you not want to?", she asked curiously.

"I just dread it."

"Well, the only way to get rid of that dread is to go ahead and do it."

He gets up and does what his mate says. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join beneath me for a clan meeting!"

Cats come forward and out of their dens, sleep in their eyes. He gazes around and sees Jayfeather and Briarlight crawling behind him. He winces at the sight of her. When he was hit by that tree, he felt a little bit guilty. Mousebrain, yes, but for some reason it was true.

Firepaw finally walks out with Foxleap. _Looks like their getting cozy_, he thought to himself. _In no time they will be mates. _

"Last night, Starclan talked to Jayfeather and me." He sighs apprehensively. "Firepaw, will you come in front please."

Firepaw looks around, then slowly walks up to him.

"I have made a mistake of giving your name. I have to change it." He pauses for a moment, and says bright and clear "Starclan hear me and approve my choice of giving this cat a new name. From this day forward until you get your warrior name known as Flowerpaw."


	5. Chapter 5

Hello! Wow, Chapter 5! Thank you for who all is reading this story. I have been waiting for over 4 years to write this. Thank you all who is following me. You are amazing! I'm sorry I have not updated in awhile. I have been trying to perfecting this chapter. It's not perfect since I am so bad at grammar. (I have been looking for a betareader no worries my peeps). However, I have been curtiqueing my grammar and hopefully my spelling so it will be more clear to you guys. Thank you for being patient with me if you are really good at grammar and spelling. Predictably forever, happy readings!

* * *

Flowerpaw did not know what just happen. The rest was a little fuzzy. She heard cheerful shouting, and Foxleap chatting with her, but everything was a blur.

_Why did he have to change my name? What did I do? _She did not think she did _any_thing wrong. She had been following the warrior code. Especially the kittypet rule. She never wanted to be one again. The other apprentices and her mentor say they have it easy and luxurious, but they do not know. She does, she knows all too well. She shutters at the thought.

Bramblestar's speech concluded on who all is going to the gathering. When her name was called, she was so excited then it turned into nervousness. She was going to meet all the cats from all four clans. Bumblestripe told her they might treat her differently, especially some of the elders. He said they come from a different time, they lived in a forest and it was just when Firestar came to live with the clans.

Even though she never met the brave Firestar, she did admire him. Some on the nights Foxleap ad her go on their long, _f__riendly_, walks; she would listen to him ramble on about him. Other times she overheard the elders telling the kits stories of how he was a kittypet as well and saved the clans countless times.

She related to him in a way. Not completely. She did not know what it felt to have friends before Foxleap. All her life until she came to the clans, she had been all alone. She never felt cared about. Especially her twolegs. She shivers at the thought of him. She would never go back to him. She did not care that she left that... _Stop thinking about him. _

"Flowerpaw are you okay?", Foxleap said with concern in his eyes.

She shakes her head as if trying to get rid of her dark thoughts. "Yeah, just nervous. That is all."

"Do not be. They all will love you."

"How do you know?", she says apprehensively

"I know you, that's why."

She wanted to believe Foxleap but she was too preoccupied of what might happen. She thought of situations of might just happen. _Hopefully they will not notice me at all. Although I do want to make friends. _She did have one friend at least.

"Flowerpaw, you know what my mother always told me?"

Flowerpaw was surprised. Foxleap never talked about his mother. She guessed it was because it hurt to much to talk about her. _I know how he feels. _He is usually excited and funny. He never is really ever truly is serious. She notice this about him. He usually talks about light topics, unless its warrior duty. It scares her when he gets to talking about things like his mother.

"It does not matter what _any _cat says, as long as you are following the warrior code. Do not get scared, I will be there."

* * *

To be honest, Foxleap was just as scared as Flowerpaw is. He knows that she will make friends, he is scared she wont let them be. He is just lucky that he was there at the right time.

They just left the Windclan territory and started to make their way towards the island. He turns around and sees Flowerpaw behind him looking in the dark blue sky.

"I bet I can beat you to the island."

"We all know Foxleap, that I am faster than you."

He hopes that this helps her relax. He crouches and burst into speed he did not know he had. Her mouth opens wide in shock. _Maybe there is somethings no cat knows. _He was so close when he falls over a pebble. His slams on the ground with one of his paws first. He yowls in shock as a shooting pain crosses over his paw.

"Are you alright?!", Flowerpaw says with worry in her eyes.

Foxleap gets back on his feet, ignoring the pain. "Yes, I'm fine. Do not worry".

Jayfeather runs over and ask the same question. "I'm alright."

"What were you thinking running in the dark? Do you think that you are Shadowclan? You could have seriously hurt yourself."

"Do not blame him Jayfeather. It was my fault.", Flowerpaw meows powerfully.

"Well you two need to be more careful, alright? I do not need a cat getting hurt right before the gathering."

Foxleap swore he heard Jayfeather mew something under his breath. He did not know what he said exactly. _I wonder what he is mumbling about now. He is grumpy as an elder! _

"Are you sure alright? Your laughing for no reason."

"I'm fine."

* * *

She never seen so many cats at once in her life. She notice Bramblestar, Onestar, and two other cats were sitting and talking. Onestar and a gray-blue cat were arguing. _Probably the leaders. The gray one must be the Riverclan leader. Bumblestripe told me they have been fighting lately. I wonder why._

"They are fighting about the boundaries."

She turns around to see who it was. A large tom with strips on his back and tail. His eyes where a shade of brown with sadness in them.

"My name is Tigerheart from Shadowclan if that is what your are wondering."

"Oh sorry, my name is Flowerpaw from Thunderclan."

"So, you are just an apprentice".

She was taking back about his comment. "Excuse you?"

"Will you two please be quiet? The gathering has started."

She turns around and tries to pay attention to Onestar.

"This concludes my report of my clan. Bramblestar, would you like to go next?"

"Yes, I would. Thunderclan has been doing very well. Our prey has been plenty, kits are about to be born, and we have a new apprentice. Her name is Flowerpaw."

Flowerpaw looks a her paws in embarrassment. She did not know that Bramblestar would announce her presence in the clan.

"That is right, Thunderclan is not real warriors anymore. They are just rogues and loners", a cat from Shadowclan yells out.

She turned to Foxleap with hurt and confusion in her eyes. _What does that mean? Who said that? _Spiderlegs jumps up and says "Hey, are you wanting a fight?"

"Maybe I am."

Before any cat could say mousebrain, claws and teeth flying forward. _This is against the warrior code isn't it? _A cat that she hasnt seen before jumped on her and started to bite down on her ear. Her blood started to trickle down. _Warrior code or not, I need to defend myself. _She kicks and turns to pin down her opponent. She bites down on her ear. The cat tried to wiggle out from underneath but Flowerpaw is too strong.

"Dawnpelt no!"

Every cat freezes on the spot. Flowerpaw turns around to see what had happen. Spiderleg was standing over a silver pelted she-cat with a pool of blood on the ground. Spiderleg paws were covered in the same blood._ Oh starclan no! Spiderleg killed her. _

Onestar turns towards Bramblestar and wispers something in his ear. Bramblestar nods slowly.

_"Thunderclan, we leave now! _Blackstar, I am very sorry."

Just like that, the gathering was over. She looks back and sees Tigerheart stand over Dawnpelt._ Dawnpelt must have been his sister._ She knows this will be in her dreams tonight.


End file.
